


Empire Line

by 12tardis



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:28:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27078049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/12tardis/pseuds/12tardis
Summary: Newt has been in love with you since your second year at Hogwarts. You have been in love with Newt for nearly as long. You’re both ridiculously oblivious and you think he has feelings for Tina. Will Newt set the record straight before he loses you for good?
Relationships: Newt Scamander & Reader, Newt Scamander & You, Newt Scamander/Reader, Newt Scamander/You
Comments: 6
Kudos: 49





	1. Peonies

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooooo this is part 1 of ? maybe 2 or 3 I really really really hope you like it bc I’ve slaved over this one. I’ve been wanting to write something more than just one shots for a while but my self esteem hit rock bottom this last couple months and that has bled over into my writing- hence why I’ve been so absent on here I’m so sorry fam ☹ In my head, this is a companion piece to I’m Gonna Keep You In Love With Me , it’s their origin story. Pls let me know your thoughts! I’d love to know what you think or where you think it’s headed. What do we think of Alistair?...

You had been completely in love with your best friend Newt Scamander since your school days at Hogwarts. You two had been inseparable since you first met and were now living together in a shared flat in London as you had been for the past few years since graduation. 

You had tried to make your feelings known several times over the span of your friendship but Newt was either oblivious or pretending to be so he didn’t have to deal with the awkwardness of turning you down. You thought it was the former but as the years drew on you grew suspicious because how could one person be so completely clueless?

The unrequited love was recently becoming harder and harder for you to push aside. Your heart ached with every letter he exchanged with your dear friend Tina and your stomach knotted every time he would mention her in passing.

At the end of the day his happiness was all that mattered to you and if Tina was the one to bring him that then you would accept it. You just weren’t sure how you would bear it when they finally did get together.

Maybe it was time for you to move on and open your heart up to other possibilities. Merlin knows there’d been plenty of willing men ever the years, but you’d always held out hope that the love of your life would one day return your feelings. 

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to settle for someone else.

Once you finished your cup of tea you set the empty mug in the sink and grabbed your handbag before you left the flat, starting the journey to your workplace. Walking through the streets distractedly you thought over all the times you had tried to tell Newt how you felt.

The most recent time was when you’d been standing beside him a few months ago, posing for a photo for the newspaper at one of his book signings. You were so immensely proud of Newt for his hard work and dedication in pursuing his passion despite everyone that had ridiculed him for it throughout his life.

You had accompanied him in his travels while he wrote the book and had only fallen more in love with your best friend as you watched him in his element. And you thought _maybe_ he may have returned your feelings considering he’d dedicated the book to you. Even his brother Theseus had dropped a couple of not-so-subtle hints your way regarding you and his younger brother.

So, as you stood beside him a few months ago at his first book signing you held his hand tightly in your own. You were pressed close to him and beaming with pride for the camera and you caught yourself glancing up at him where he stood beside you. He looked so uncomfortable and nervous in front of the camera but at the same time he was just so ridiculously handsome.   
  
You continued to gaze up at him adoringly after the photographer had moved on, squeezing his hand.

“I love you.”

You uttered the words before you could even stop yourself. It just felt so right and after everything that had happened over the past few months you were certain you had ‘something’. But when he looked back down at you with a crooked smile and squeezed your shoulder casually you felt a sinking sensation in your stomach.

“I love you too,” he said back with such ease that you just _knew_ he only meant it as a friend. Your smile dropped for a split second, but you quickly composed yourself, letting go of his hand.

“Aaaaand I’m going to go find myself a drink,” you said in a fake bright voice, leaving him behind, completely unaware of the way he was staring after you yearningly.

What you didn’t see was the older woman that stepped over to him telling him that you were a lovely couple. And you definitely didn’t see the way he smiled back at the woman, thanking her softly as he continued to look at your retreating figure.

People were always mistaking you for a couple. It had been a regular occurrence since you were 5th years but unbeknownst to you - Newt had recently stopped correcting people when they made the same assumption. Instead opting to smile warmly in response and allow himself to get lost in the illusion for the briefest moment. 

* * *

You sighed to yourself as you reminisced on the memory, slipping your apron over your head once you arrived at work. That particular moment had taken you a good few weeks to get over.

Were you that undesirable to Newt that he didn’t even consider the possibility of you harbouring romantic feelings for him beyond friendship?

And then there’d been the numerous events you’d asked him to over the years.

You had been the one to ask him to the Yule Ball in your 6th year.

You’d asked him to attend your brother's wedding with you a few years after.

Once _again_ you’d asked him to go as your date with you to a cocktail ball your work company held just the previous year. 

And each and every time he knocked you back. His excuses ranged from: ‘it’s not my scene’, to ‘Pickett is under the weather’. And each rejection hurt more than the last.

To his credit though, he did eventually change his mind each time and always ended up being the best plus one there ever was. But that didn’t quite erase the embarrassment and heartache you felt every time he turned you down.

Just last week you’d asked him to go with you to your old school friend’s wedding. You’d thought he’d agree easily this time as Sarah was a mutual Hufflepuff friend of both of yours and she and Newt had always gotten along but he’d simply told you, “I’ll think about it,” before he had scurried off to his bedroom.

“Excuse me, are you open yet?”   
  
You snapped out of your musings once more when you heard the first customer for the day enter the shop, plastering a bright smile on your face. You were determined to have a good day.

* * *

Newt walked into the kitchen shortly after you’d left for the day, frowning when he saw you had indeed left without saying goodbye and that you’d forgotten your lunch too.

He was worried about you lately. You usually _always_ wished him a good day before you headed off anywhere and you hadn’t done so a couple of times now during the last few weeks. You also appeared to be forgetting meals here and there too.

You had been uncharacteristically quiet since the two of you had returned back from New York and Newt figured you must have been upset about leaving behind Queenie and Tina.

He knew how much you had bonded with the Goldstein sisters and he’d tried his best to cheer you up but everything he tried appeared to be futile as the smile would disappear from your face after a few moments and you’d just go back to tending to your plants or reading your books.

The only thing that seemed to grab your attention was when he would talk about Tina so he found himself mentioning the other woman most days, feeling a sense of relief when you would actually utter more than a few words in response. But something still seemed off.

He didn’t have the slightest clue about the heart ache you felt each time he uttered the other woman’s name.

Newt grabbed your lunch off of the counter and made his way to your workplace, figuring he could grab some things from the nearby grocers afterwards. He was planning to cook your favourite meal for dinner in the hopes to cheer you up a bit and maybe ask if there was something upsetting you recently.

Smiling to himself when he arrived at the small plant nursery where you worked, he leaned in the doorframe as he watched you tend to the plants, humming quietly to yourself. He saw you happy and at ease for the first time in weeks and he couldn’t help the grin that spread on his face at seeing you huff in annoyance when you couldn’t reach one of the hanging plants, stretching up onto your toes to try and reach the offending plant.   
  
How could one person be so adorable?

He was just about to step in and retrieve it for you when another gentleman walked over to you, resting a hand on your waist as he leant over you to grab the planter down. The smile dropped from Newt’s face immediately as he watched this man grin down at you, still completely in your personal space.

The mystery man set the plant down on the counter in front of you and Newt felt bile rise in his throat at the giggle you let out when the man leant in even closer to you, brushing some soil from your face. He was obviously a co-worker of yours and Newt felt awful because he should have been happy that you were happy, considering your previous co-worker had been horrible to you but when he saw the way the other guy _still_ had his hand on your waist he felt nothing but jealousy.

Who was this guy?

Why hadn’t you told him you had a new co-worker?

You usually told him everything. 

He _thought_ you told him everything. 

And **WHY** was the guy still gripping your waist like that?

 **Jealousy.  
**  
It was a rare feeling for him to experience but it definitely wasn’t a new one. He’d experienced it every time someone had come along over the years and dared to look at you a little too long, or touch you with too much familiarity.

And every time, he felt like the world's biggest ass because he knew he didn’t have some claim to you.  
  
You weren’t some prize to be won or fought over, and yet here he was, gritting his teeth as he watched the other man make you laugh and swoon, just like he wished he could.

It took him back to the very first time he’d experienced the wrath of the green-eyed monster when you were 3rd years at Hogwarts.

* * *

_Newt was rushing towards the common room to find you with the new Pixie he’d just found hidden in his robes. He was excited to show you his discovery because you’d been particularly fascinated in the pixies when you’d studied them in class but as he stepped into the common room he was entirely unprepared for the sight that greeted him._

_Pierce Brixley, one of the popular Hufflepuff 5th years, was gripping your shoulders and saying something to you with a megawatt smile on his face._

_He couldn’t quite make out what either of you were saying as he made his way towards you, pausing in his tracks when Pierce leant in and planted an eager kiss on your cheek.  
  
Newt then felt a foreign twisting sensation in his stomach as he watched you lift a hand to your cheek to brush over where Pierce’s lips had just been, laughing while you waved to the older boy as he turned to leave._

_“You saved my life, Y/N!”, Pierce called out to you over his shoulder as he rushed to leave the room. Newt noticed the other boy had a potted plant grasped in his hands._

_“Oh, hi Newt!”, he grinned but Newt simply nodded at him wordlessly, watching him leave the common room in a rush._

_He didn’t know what this strange feeling was that had just washed over him. Newt really liked Pierce. The older Hufflepuff had gotten him out of strife with some of his bullies several times and had even offered to help him with his studies from time to time._

_So why did Newt suddenly feel the urge to jinx him?_

_“There you are! I’ve been looking for you since Charms”, you beamed at him, practically bounding over to him and tipping your head aside at the blank expression he wore._

_“What was that about?”, he asked, completely ignoring your earlier statement, feeling a twitch of annoyance when you frowned at him in confusion “with Pierce,” he quickly clarified._

_“Oh! Right that,” you laughed, shaking your head._

_“He was panicking yesterday because it’s his girlfriend's birthday tomorrow and he accidentally squashed the Puffapod he’d gotten for her but it was fine because I found some growing out by the pumpkin patch- remember that time?”, you barely paused for breath, waiting for him to nod in affirmation._

_“Yeah so I just gave him a new one that I dug up today. And now I have a sad but still hopeful Puffapod of my own to nurse!” You smiled as you held up the crushed and wilted flower for him to see._

_And just like that the foreign sensation in his gut was gone and he felt normal again._

_“So, I got him out of a pickle apparently but I’m not too sure about that because I don’t know who in their right mind thinks a Puffapod is a romantic gift! They make you dizzy if you mishandle them, did you know that? I certainly wouldn’t appreciate that as a gift.”_

_You rambled on so quickly that Newt was struggling to keep up, but he couldn’t stop his growing smile because he absolutely loved listening and watching you go off on tangents. You were so passionate about plants and flowers and he utterly adored the way your eyes would light up when you got carried away talking about them._

_He gazed back at you as you continued to talk about the qualities of a Puffpod while you inspected the plant in your hands, trailing your fingers over the foliage._

_“So, what kind of gift **would** you appreciate then?” he chuckled, smiling softly back at you and you blinked back at him because it wasn’t really something you had thought about._

_“Uh...just something that shows genuine thought and care I guess- WAIT is that a Pixie?!”_

* * *

Newt was broken out of his daydreaming when he heard you laugh once more, and he cleared his throat when he decided you had spent way too long gazing back at the mystery man.

He gritted his teeth when said man was the one to turn to greet him while you went back to watering the plants, not noticing his presence in the shop. 

“Hi there! How can I help you today?”, your co-worker said brightly, heading around the counter towards Newt.

Newt held up the lunch bag in his hand. “I came to see Y/N”, he said flatly, so flatly that he almost didn’t recognise his own voice.

Newt stared at you desperately feeling some of the tension leave him when you looked up to see him, a bright smile appearing on your face not a moment later. 

“Newt!”

You smiled happily at him instinctively. You were always happy to see him, that much had never changed. It was just when you pictured him with Tina that that miserable shadow would fall over you again.

You cocked your head aside as you bounded over to him and Newt was entirely distracted by the sensation of his heart swelling on his chest at the sight of you, looking just like you did that time in your 3rd year. 

Your lips parted when you recognised he was holding your lunch that you hadn’t even realised you’d forgotten. “Oh goodness, I totally forgot. Thank you, Newt! What would I do without you?”, you pecked him on the cheek quickly as you took the bag from him.

Newt blushed as he usually would at your affection, but he also felt a small sense of pride when he noticed the way your co-worker’s eyebrows shot up at the kiss.

“Starve probably,” he answered with a teasing smile, pausing when he spotted some lingering soil on your cheek that the other man had obviously failed to brush away.

He lifted his hand without a moment's hesitation and slowly and gently thumbed away the remaining dirt from your skin. Not noticing the way you held your breath and leant into his touch instinctively.

“I’ll see you later”, Newt murmured, dropping his hand quickly when he realised how long he’d been staring at you. He allowed his hand to brush down your arm, squeezing your hand in his own momentarily before he stepped away from you.

“Have a good day, Y/N,” he called looking back at you once he was in the doorway, simply nodding at your co-worker before he left the shop.

That evening when you arrived home to find Newt preparing your favourite meal for dinner, you’d felt a small spark of hope flourish in your chest, wondering if maybe he was trying to be romantic. _Especially_ after that moment in the shop.

The meal was perfect, and you were sat there gazing back at Newt adoringly with your chin resting in your palm while he told you about his day with the creatures.

He paused in his ramblings as he got up “oh I nearly forgot, Tina wrote us both,” he grabbed two envelopes from the kitchen counter, passing you yours with a wide smile.

And just like that you felt all your hopes fade away once again. This time it really hurt to see the soft smile on his lips as he looked down at his own letter that looked considerably thicker than yours.

 _Of course_ it would be thicker than yours.

They were probably writing full romantic essays back and forth by now.

You plastered on a smile of resignation, pocketing your own letter and going straight to your bedroom once you’d finished cleaning up. Having no idea that Tina had actually written to Newt in great detail of all the reasons why she felt he needed to share his feelings for you.

* * *

Newt had read over Tina’s letter at least a dozen times over the following week, knowing logically that everything the woman had written was true.

**_‘I know you’re nervous. Especially after all this time but you’ve known Y/N for so long now you know she would never ridicule you or lash out at you._ **

**_You should make the most of all the precious time you have together. Our time is never promised, I learnt that with the passing of my parents and there’s nothing I wouldn’t give to be able to tell them how much I loved them._ **

**_I can’t tell you for sure how she will respond but you will be able to finally rest without wondering what could be.  
Be brave Newt.’  
  
  
_ **

He’d been re-reading that specific page over and over again and he was finally building a plan in his head of how he was going to tell you.

There had been _so_ many moments over the years when he’d nearly told you of his feelings. The words had truly been on the very tip of his tongue more times than he could count.

But every time he grew anxious and backed out, promising himself he’d tell you ‘next time’.

The most recent time had been just a fortnight earlier when you’d been down in his case with him.

He went to the markets to fetch you a box of your favourite pastries and a bouquet of your favourite flowers, planning to present them to you when you got home from work. He had set the sweets and flowers in his study to give to you later before he’d headed down to check on the creatures, running through what he would say to you in his head as he cleaned around the enclosures.

“Newt?”, he startled when he heard your voice call for him because you weren’t due home for another hour. He looked up in time to see you coming down the stairs towards him.

“You will not believe who’s getting married!”, you said excitedly, waving the opened wedding invitation in front of his face “Sarah! Oh I’m so excited, it’s next month and the venue is incredible. Please come with me? _Please_?” you rambled on quickly.

Newt felt the courage to tell you of his feelings completely disappearing as he looked back at you and how beautiful you looked gushing excitedly over the wedding of your mutual Hufflepuff friend.  
  
“I-I’ll think about it,” he stammered, turning his attention back to his creatures because he simply couldn’t trust himself to look at you any longer without blurting out everything he had on his mind.

He was so focused on managing his own emotions that he was entirely oblivious to the hurt that washed over your features and the dejected way you slumped your shoulders before you left him alone in his case.

That evening he ended up tossing the pastries to Dougal and leaving the flowers on the doorstep of your workplace for you to find the next day, figuring it wouldn’t be too strange for a floral bouquet to show up at a plant and floral shop.

* * *

The next time he worked up the courage to tell you how he felt wasn’t for another two weeks. The weeks had passed rather uneventfully as you both had continued on in your usual routines.

It was that morning as he watched you feeding the Mooncalves with the sweetest smile on your lips and Pickett perched on your shoulder that he decided he was going to try and tell you again.

You had seemed to perk up again recently so he took that as a good sign and once you’d left for work that day he once again went to buy you your favourite flowers and even booked a table at one of the restaurants you’d been nagging him to go to. _Yes,_ he was going to put himself entirely out of his comfort zone tonight if it meant winning your heart.

Time got away from him though as he did a few other errands and got caught up in a menswear shop when he decided on a whim that he was going to buy a nice suit that you would hopefully like. He recalled you telling him how much you liked him in blue, so he was feeling quite confident with himself as he wandered back to the flat with his new blue suit and your flowers in hand.

It was 5.30 now. You would most likely be home from work but he figured that still gave you both ample time to get ready for dinner and enough time for him to plan out what he was going to say to you like he hadn’t already been rehearsing all day.

But his newfound confidence dissipated immediately as he approached the front door, hearing your voice and a distinct male voice that he didn’t recognise. Just like that he felt every last drop of courage drain from his body as he stepped into the flat and saw the very same co-worker from a few weeks ago. 

He was sitting at the dining room table smiling back at you while you had your head tipped back in laughter at something that he’d said.

* * *

Completely unbeknownst to Newt you had spent the last two weeks trying your very hardest to train your heart out of beating erratically every time you saw your best friend smile. Or stopping your stomach from doing somersaults every time he looked back at you with a little too much interest.

Sure, you loved him more than anything or anyone, but you simply couldn’t take any more of listening to him gush on and on about Tina. You knew it was time for you to move on. 

So, you had to get over him and that meant turning your attention to your co-worker, Alistair. He was handsome, he was flirty, he was passionate about plants like you and most importantly he was _into you_.

You were still down in the dumps from Newt turning down your invite to Sarah’s wedding as you walked to work the next day but as you stepped towards the shop the most incredible bouquet of flowers sat waiting for you against the shop door. You felt your chest tighten as you scooped up the arrangement, seeing it was all your favourites.

“Blegh, who puts sunflowers with peonies and ranunculi?” Alistair said from beside you, having just arrived. You looked back at him suspiciously.

“...they’re my favourite flowers,” you said slowly, watching him closely because you were certain he’d heard you telling a customer that much just a few days ago.

“Oh, I knew that, I was just joking” Alistair played it off casually with a wink and such a charming smile that you were convinced he’d been the one to leave them for you.

When he set his hand on your waist and pressed a soft kiss to your cheek you were _certain_ it had been him.

Who else could it be?

* * *

“Oh hi, Newt! This is Alistair I’m not sure you’ve met properly yet,” you said brightly when you noticed Newt had arrived home, gesturing to the man sitting across from you.  
  
  
Alistair looked Newt up and down, keeping a pleasant smile on his face as he eyed the flowers Newt had tucked under his arm. Almost an exact replica of the bouquet from the other week, just in a different colour arrangement.

“Pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard plenty about you,” he said smoothly, holding his hand out to Newt.

Newt shook Alistair’s hand begrudgingly, feeling completely intimidated by just how classically handsome and built the other man was. He could never compare.

“Nice flowers you got there,” Alistair nodded at the bouquet just as you jumped to your feet excitedly, finally noticing the flowers.

“Uh...yeah I just found these on the doorstep,” Newt lied, holding the flowers out to you and stiffening at the calculating look Alistair was now giving him.

You blinked a few times as you took the stunning bouquet from Newt, whipping your head aside to look at Alistair.

“I KNEW it was you!”, you said happily as you poked a finger into Alistair’s chest, completely missing the look of confusion that passed over his face for a fleeting moment. 

And missing the look of alarm Newt was giving you. 

“You tried to pretend you didn’t know what my favourite flowers were! When did you even have the time to put them there?”, you giggled, truly thinking Alistair had managed to pull off such a romantic feat.

Newt gritted his teeth, feeling the strongest flare of jealousy yet when he saw Alistair quickly compose himself and plaster that stupid smug smirk back on his face “well I had them delivered of course,” he lied smoothly as his eyes flicked to Newt.

The two men locked eyes for a moment. Alistair was silently challenging Newt to tell you otherwise. Newt glanced back at you, opening his mouth to protest but he stopped himself just as quickly when he saw the happy glimmer in your eyes. 

He just didn’t have the heart to ruin your good mood especially considering how down you had been lately. 

So what if you thought the flowers came from Alistair? It was a harmless misunderstanding, right? 

Not a moment later you were pressing a kiss to Alistair’s cheek and Newt was gritting his teeth again. 

You wandered away to find a vase for the flowers, leaving the two men alone to just stare at each other. Alistair looked back at Newt and the stony expression he now wore, clearing his throat after a moment.

“I should really get going, Y/N,” he called out, keeping his gaze fixed firmly on Newt, another fake smile gracing his lips when you turned to look at him.

“It was nice to meet you, Newt.”

Alistair walked over to you and Newt wanted to die as he watched him press a kiss to the top of your head and saw the shy smile you gave him in return.

Newt briefly considered throwing the damn bouquet into his case for the creatures to feast on when you went to see Alistair off but when you returned to the room, he felt a horrible sense of guilt settle in his chest. You looked so happy and touched by the notion and he just didn’t have the will to wipe that smile from your face.

Would you have been so happy if you’d known who they were truly from?

Probably not.

“He seems nice,” he murmured quietly, staring back at you desperately and hoping you would realise the truth. But when you nodded your head in response, he knew it was a pointless hope.

“Yeah he’s lovely. He’s uh, a bit of a handful sometimes but he’s really sweet and he doesn’t get bored of all my plant talk,” you laughed, looking back at Newt, nodding at the bag he had in his hand “what did you buy?”

“Oh, just some stuff for in the case,” he lied quickly, forcing a smile at you before he walked away, pretending that his heart wasn’t in total shambles.

He decided it didn’t matter who the flowers were really from. All that mattered was that you were happy.

* * *

Another week passed and Newt didn’t hear or see anything more of Alistair much to his relief. Strangely, you appeared to have slipped back into your more quiet subdued self and Newt was worried again.

Had Alistair done something to upset you maybe?

In actual fact you’d been wallowing for a few days now since you’d happened to glimpse one of Newt’s letters from Tina, mistakenly thinking it was yours.

**_‘Newt,_ **

**_There is so much to admire about you. You are handsome and inspiring and truly one of a kind. I know Queenie agrees with me on this.  
Don’t sell yourself short.  
Much love,_ **

**_Tina_ **

Not only were you completely unaware that the true intention of the letter was more of a friendly pep talk on Tina’s behalf after Newt had written to her about his failure in telling you his feelings and detailing how charming Alistair was comparatively. But you were also hurt to think that Newt had neglected to tell you that he and Tina had made things official.

Sure, the letter was a little lacklustre and you could think of roughly two thousand things to add to the list of things to admire about Newt, but it was still clearly a letter between two people holding affection for one another.

It wasn’t an idea you really wanted to accept yet, so you decided the safest course of action for your bruised heart was to limit your time with Newt. So as a result, you’d been busying yourself throughout the week with your garden.

He would tell you about his new relationship with Tina when he was ready, and you would smile and support him like a good friend. 

You’d been up in your bedroom all morning and Newt was concerned so he set about making you a cup of tea deciding he would go and check on you but he nearly dropped the mug in his hand when you came sweeping into the kitchen, dressed up to the nines in the most magnificent dress he’d never seen before. 

Your lips were painted to perfection and your hair was styled to frame your face. His chest was aching from your sheer beauty.

“Y/N, you look...incredible,” he breathed, his mouth agape as he looked back at you. “What’s...what’s the occasion?”, he managed to ask eventually, moving closer to you instinctively.

  
You were completely taken aback by his reaction and his sweet words because he almost looked...awed? You shook the thought away, remembering the letter from Tina and frowned at him.

“It’s Sarah’s wedding? Remember you were invited? I told you about it last month?”, you walked away from him when the doorbell rang, and Newt stared after you helplessly.

Had Sarah’s wedding seriously snuck up that quickly?

Why hadn’t you mentioned it to him again?

Usually you would remind him of such events with a few weeks’ notice, giving him plenty of time to get his act together.

He felt his stomach drop and he understood exactly why you hadn’t mentioned the wedding to him again when he saw you pull the front door open, revealing a fancy suit-clad Alistair. You were taking a practical stranger as your date to the wedding of one of your oldest friends and boy did that feel like a kick in the guts.

“Y/N, didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s rude to out-shine the bride on her wedding day?”, Alistair said loudly as he walked into the apartment, taking your hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. Newt rolled his eyes so hard he thought they might roll right out of his head.

“Oh, you won’t be saying that when you see Sarah. She’s actual perfection”, you smiled back at Alistair bashfully.

“I highly doubt there is going to be a single lady who can hold a candle to you today”, Alistair smirked, and Newt grit his teeth because that was something he could actually agree upon but just the _way_ the other man was leering at you as he said it had Newt wanting to cover you up in one of his long coats. They always did swim on your frame.

Alistair eventually stopped his leering long enough to thrust a huge bouquet of flowers into your face. You raised your eyebrows because this time it was a giant bouquet of red roses.

“I thought it was about time to change it up a little, don’t you think?”, Alistair smiled, reaching out to toy with a strand of your hair, making Newt want to break his hand. 

When you just stared at the roses wordlessly Alistair pressed a kiss to your cheek “I think Roses are much better suited to a lady such as yourself. Elegant, beautiful and the flower of romance.”

As you took the bouquet from Alistair and offered him a thankful smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes Newt found himself being thrown back into his Hogwarts days when he’d first learned the truth of why you didn’t like roses.

* * *

_“Now remember this spell will only heal minor injuries. Anything beyond that and I highly suggest that you still take a visit to the hospital wing.” Professor Jamieson’s dry voice carried through the classroom._

_“Now repeat after me ep-PIS-kee...Episkey. Good.”_

_Newt was sat beside you in charms class during your second year, fidgeting with his quill nervously as he prayed the Professor wouldn’t call on him to demonstrate for the class._

_Professor Jamieson had a penchant for making the entire class demonstrate their pronunciation and wand motions and it was often a source of great embarrassment for Newt as he would stutter when the entire class was watching him._

_Newt groaned quietly from his spot beside you when the teacher did just that and he began to bounce his knee nervously as the students began to take turns one by one._

_He blinked in surprise when you lay your hand on his knee. You offered him a smile of comfort and he felt his nerves melt away for a moment as he found himself getting lost in your eyes and the soft curve of your lips._

_That moment was short lived though as the Professor had the class begin to recite the spell and the motion one by one._

_He desperately whispered the spell to himself under his breath, but of course once it was his turn he froze, staring down at his desk as he fumbled with his wand._

_Everyone’s eyes were on him as you nudged him gently and the Professor called on him again._

_“...Ep-p-p...p-pisskey,” his flushed deep red right to his ears as one Colin Fligshaw guwaffed with laughter, already mocking Newt from the back of the classroom._

_“P-p-p-p please Professor! I only speak FREAK!”, Colin mocked, and Newt sat in complete humiliation wanting nothing more than to disappear as the other students began to laugh along._

_That was until you threw your ink pot with shocking accuracy, hitting Colin in the middle of his head and sending the ink all over the boy and his robes “Merlin, YOU’RE A GIT, FLIGSHAW!”_

_Your angry voice carried through the classroom as everyone else sat in stunned silence and Newt stared at you like you’d grown a second head._

_“Miss L/N, Mr Fligshaw, detention for a week! And 10 points from Hufflepuff and Gryffindor!”_

_You scowled back at the other boy who at least had the decency to look ashamed, remembering the time you had made him pay for stealing Newt’s textbooks the year before. He’d had a sore ear for an entire week after you’d dragged him the length of the entire school, ranting and raving at him like a complete lunatic._

_“Y/N, you didn’t have to do that. Now you’re gonna be stuck in detention,” Newt said when you were leaving the classroom and you frowned at the guilty expression he wore._

_“Newt, you’re my best friend. I’m not just going to sit back and watch you be poked fun of. Plus, you’re going meet me after detention every day with snacks, aren’t you?”, you grinned back at him. You were only joking but Newt nodded in response._

_And he did just that. Waiting diligently outside the detention hall for you each afternoon with your favourite snacks hidden in his robes that he’d pinched from the kitchens._

_“You’re free!”, he hugged you when you’d finally finished serving your punishment at the end of the week, handing you a cinnamon bun that was still warm._

_You hummed happily in appreciation wasting no time in chomping down on the pastry as Newt held out a letter for you to see “Look what my parents wrote me h-oh no!”, he tried to grasp for the paper when a gust of wind sent it flying out of his hand._

_You quickly chased after it across the courtyard and Newt tried to call out to get your attention, but it was too late. You managed to catch the paper at the same time you stumbled straight into a rose bush, crying out when the thorns dug into your skin._

_“Y/N!” he ran over to you as you thrashed around trying to free yourself from the rose bush, only to end up with more thorns piercing your skin. “Y/N stop moving!”_

_He winced at your whimper of pain as he carefully pried the bushes away from you, helping you out from the garden bed and sitting you down carefully as he looked over your injuries and torn stockings._

_“This IS WHY I HATE ROSES! Firstly, they remind me of my mum's funeral because Merlin, they were **everywhere** that day but now this! Terrible, stupid, overrated flowers!”_

_Newt hated the tears he could see you fighting back as you bit your lip in pain. Your stockings were torn and there was blood running down both of your legs. He didn’t hesitate as he knelt down in front of you, taking your hand and using his other to pluck his wand out from his pocket._

_“Episkey,” he murmured, letting out a sigh of relief when your skin mended quickly and you were no longer wincing in pain._

_“Newt! You did it!”, you gasped, looking at him with big eyes and gripping his shoulders with a proud smile._

_“I guess I just needed a reason to get it right,” he smiled back at you crookedly, casting another charm to get rid of the blood and dirt off of you before he helped you to your feet._

_He didn’t let go of your hand as he guided you towards the common room, vowing to never ever present you with roses as a gift._

* * *

Newt stepped towards you cutting Alistair from your view as you set the flowers in water with an unreadable expression on your face. 

You looked up when he took your hand, looking back at him in confusion before you smiled weakly at him. 

“It’s okay. I told Sarah you were busy with book signing things. She understands.” You squeezed his hand gently and Newt wanted to kick himself because that was the last thing that was on his mind. Really, he just wanted to stop you from leaving with _him._

He wanted to tell you the truth. And he wanted to dash off to get into his own suit so he could take you to the wedding himself, but he knew he’d lost his chance. 

Alistair’s low laughter filled the kitchen as he moved over to you and Newt gritted his teeth at the way he was still leering at you. “Don’t worry Newt, I’ll have her home by curfew,” Alistair teased, wrapping his arm around your waist and pulling you out of Newt’s grasp.

“Come on princess. We don’t want to be late,” Alistair fixed Newt with one last hard look over your shoulder before he pulled you from the house, missing the way you looked back at Newt in concern. Wondering what it was that he’d been trying to tell you. 

Once you were gone from the flat Newt tried to go about his day as usual but the image of you looking so beautiful in Alistair’s arms was burned into his retinas and he found himself checking the time constantly. 

He glanced at his watch with a sigh for the 4th time in an hour that afternoon, wondering what you were doing and if Alistair was being respectful. He knew it was silly. You were an adult and you could take care of yourself but that didn’t stop him from worrying and it certainly didn’t stop him from wallowing in self-pity. 

As the hours wore on and the light faded, he found himself feeling more and more worked up, lingering in the living room by the front door when he would usually be in his case working. 

It was the thought of you slow dancing in Alistair’s arms that had him rushing from the house and before he knew it, he was standing on his brothers’ doorstep, pounding on the door in a complete daze. 

“Newt?”, Theseus frowned when he opened his door, knowing immediately from his younger brother’s body language and expression that something was bothering him. He stepped aside, motioning for Newt to come in and went to put the kettle on the boil while Newt sat himself down in the lounge room. 

“I’m sorry I know it’s late and you’re probably busy- I can, I can go,” Newt stuttered when Theseus had returned with a pot of tea, getting to his feet to which Theseus frowned and cast him back into his seat. 

“Newton. You know my door is open to you no matter the time. What’s upsetting you?” 

Newt let out a deep sigh, brushing his fingers through his hair “I don’t...I don’t really know.”

But Theseus fixed Newt with a deadpan expression because he knew his brother only stumbled on his words like he was now over a select few reasons. 

“Is one of the creatures ill?”

Newt shook his head. 

“Have you lost Dougal again?”

He shook his head again. 

“So, it’s Y/N.” Theseus said slowly, watching the younger man closely as he shook his head again. 

“Well no...it’s not her specifically,” Newt ran a hand down his face and then let out a groan as his shoulders slumped. 

“Merlin, who am I kidding. She’s at a wedding right now with some other man. Her co-worker. I was supposed to go with her, but I said no- I _know_ I’m an idiot don’t give me that face Thes,” he rambled on as he wrung his hands in his lap. 

“They’ve been getting closer lately and I just, I’m trying to be happy for her, but I can’t stand the guy Thes’ I seriously can’t stand the guy and it’s driving me mad!” 

Newt’s voice grew louder as he continued on but Theseus watched him curl in on himself again when he finished. 

The brothers sat in silence for a few moments as Theseus just looked back at Newt, choosing his words carefully. 

“You...don’t like him because you’re simply jealous or you don’t like him because he’s genuinely unlikable?” 

Newt blinked back at his brother in confusion “why’s it matter?” he sighed, shaking his head as he flopped back in the chair. 

In the past he would have ardently argued that he wasn’t jealous and he didn’t see you that way but he knew there was no point trying to lie to Theseus. 

“Well I just mean- do you dislike him just because you want to be him? Because you want to be in his shoes? Or do you dislike him because he’s not a good fit for Y/N? Does he treat her well? Will he make her happy?”

Newt looked down at his lap then, twisting his hands together once more as he pondered what Theseus had said.

“Not like I can,” he whispered eventually. 

Theseus nodded in response, smiling softly back at him as he clapped him on the shoulder “then I think you better do something about it, Newt. You need to tell her how you feel before it’s too late.” 

He noticed the hesitant look Newt wore so he continued, “you need to tell her before you have to watch her move on with someone who can never love her or treat her like you do.” 

Newt got to his feet then, nodding to himself and determined to tell you the truth once and for all. Surely you would be home by now. When he arrived home though it was clear you still haven’t returned. That was fine. It just gave him more time to rehearse what he was going to say. 

He paced around the kitchen as he imagined hearing you tell him you felt the same way. 

“I had a great time tonight, Y/N.” 

Newt’s head snapped up and he spotted you in the front terrace, your heels in one hand and Alistair’s hand gripped in the other. 

That was okay too. It didn’t have to mean anything. He could still go through with his plan once you were inside and Alistair had left. 

Then just as you reached for the door Alistair tugged your hand, spinning you around in his arms and leaning in for a kiss but you turned your cheek at the last second. You successfully dodged the kiss and Newt could almost hear his own heart sing. 

That had to be a good sign! You didn’t want to kiss Alistair so maybe he still had a chance to tell you the truth. His brother's advice still echoed in his ears and he realised he had to tell you tonight before he lost his shot completely. 

He sucked in a breath when you finally entered the house, standing in the hallway and just glimpsing Alistair’s retreating figure before you swung the door closed and turned to face him. 

“Oh, Newt you’re still up”, you said in surprise and Newt had to focus on the task at hand when he realised just how distractingly gorgeous you were still looking.

“Yes, I have to tell you something,” he blurted out, stepping closer to you tentatively. 

“Me too actually,” you murmured, smiling back at him weakly and Newt was caught off guard. 

Why were you looking at him like that?

What did that smile mean? 

He was so dumbfounded by your expression that he forgot to speak, so you eventually filled the silence.

“Alistair’s moving to South America to research the flora and fauna over there.” 

Newt only blinked back at you dumbly, so you spoke up again. 

“I said I’d go with him.”

* * *

**More works/Send me requests at 12tardis.tumblr.com**


	2. Ranunculas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> angst. Yeah loooooook I'm sorry...It's been a rough year

_"Alistair’s moving to South America to research the flora and fauna over there.”_

_Newt only blinked back at you dumbly, so you spoke up again._

_“I said I’d go with him.”_

_“Newt?” You called his name when he just stood there staring at you wordlessly._

_He blinked a few times slowly and his eyes focused back on you, though he was still dazed “sorry what?”_

_“I said, I’m moving to South America. Alistair asked me to go with him. We leave in a month” You repeated yourself slowly, looking at Newt in concern when he still didn’t respond._

_There was a ringing in Newt’s ears as he stood in front of you, gaping at you like a fish out of water. A month. You were leaving in a **month.**_

_“Newt,” you reached out towards him and Newt suddenly jumped into action, dodging your touch._

_“Oh wow!...that’s great Y/N, I’m really happy for you.” He managed to muster up a fake bright smile and a believable tone despite the way his heart was threatening to shatter in his chest._

_You raised your eyebrows in surprise at his enthusiastic response and you couldn’t help but feel a little put out that he was seemingly so excited for you to leave.“Thanks.”  
  
You paused “so what did you have to tell me?” _

_Newt managed to keep the smile plastered onto his face as he looked back at you “oh, just that the baby occamies finally hatched,” he said without missing a beat._

_It wasn’t a complete lie because it was true- the occamies had hatched. It just wasn’t what he’d been meaning to tell you, but he knew now he’d lost his chance and he needed to remove himself before he completely crumbled in front of you._

_So, he clapped his hands, causing you to startle slightly “right! I should get to bed now. I just wanted to tell you about the occamies. I’ll see you in the morning.” He spoke rapidly, not looking at you once before he was practically sprinting to his room and slamming the door behind him just as the first tear fell from his eyes._

* * *

Several weeks had passed now and everything had continued on as usual between you and Newt.

It had been a little tense and awkward the day after you’d broken the news to Newt but when you’d wrapped him up in a tight hug the following night he couldn’t help but melt and realise he didn’t want to spend your last few weeks together moping around and avoiding you.

So he continued on treating you like he usually would, blissfully denying all knowledge of you leaving him at the end of the month. 

You were due to leave in exactly one week now and Newt was in the kitchen fixing himself a cup of tea after breakfast. He felt his stomach drop when he noticed the empty spot on the window sill where you usually kept some of your framed photos on display. You had already started packing your possessions away slowly but surely. 

He sighed sadly to himself as he stared at the window ledge, looking up when you appeared beside him, grasping his arm. 

“Hey, I was thinking we could go for a picnic by the lake today? For old times sake.” You suggested with a soft smile. 

Newt turned to face you, shaking his head with an apologetic smile “I’d love to but I’m meeting with the owner of Flourish and Blotts today about stocking my book.” 

“Oh! No Newt that’s wonderful!” You gushed, smiling brightly at him and he only felt more miserable realising he only had a week left of seeing that smile.

“Oh, don’t look so down, we can just go tomorrow. Go and sell your book!” You grasped his shoulders, bouncing on your heels excitedly “you can tell me all about it when you get back.” 

The pure excitement on your face managed to pull him from his sour mood and he soon found himself smiling back at you. “Okay picnic tomorrow,” he nodded, laying his hands over your arms as you were still gripping his shoulders. 

The both of you stood there for a few moments in each other's arms, gazing back at one another. Newt was the first to look away, clearing his throat as he glanced down at his watch “I better go. I’ll be back before dinner.” 

* * *

Not much later he found himself wandering down Diagon Alley with his case in hand. He’d made good time, so he decided to stop in at some of the other shops in search of a farewell gift for you. 

A set of earrings caught his eye and he was busy trying to see the price of them as his case began to rattle in his hand. He looked down just in time to see the unmistakable flurry of dark fur that was his Niffler, bolting across the street. 

“Get back here!” Newt groaned, fixing the loose clasp on his case before he dashed after the creature, wondering what on earth had caught his attention over the jewellery store he’d just left behind. 

He groaned again when he saw the Niffler scurrying into what appeared to be a tiny shop selling nothing but mirrors and he quickly followed after the creature. 

“Merlin,” Newt breathed out when he was in the shop, feeling disoriented when he was standing in the middle of a room that held what must have been hundreds of mirrors in all different shapes and sizes along the walls. 

He saw absolutely no sign of the Niffler, in fact there was absolutely no movement in the shop save for himself and the faint trail of what he assumed was incense swirling above his head. 

“Ah you must be the Magizoologist, I‘ve been expecting you. A couple months late but nevertheless, welcome my boy.” 

Newt spun around when he heard a rugged voice, tipping his head aside with furrowed brows when he saw a complete stranger standing before him. It was tall and slim elderly man with long, scraggly white hair and disarmingly blue eyes. 

“I’m sorry?” Newt frowned as the man walked towards him. “I don’t believe we’ve met…” He trailed off and his eyes widened as the strange man grasped his face in his palms, inspecting him closely.

“...yet you seem to know me…”, Newt squeaked, standing stock still as the man continued to look him over. He knew he probably should have been running from the strange man, or at the very least should have felt some shred of concern or discomfort but the man had a strangely welcoming aura about him. 

“Yes. Newton Artemis Fido Scamander!” The man suddenly burst out, causing Newt to flinch slightly “You may call me Janus, if you so wish. I will also respond to Mr.Galloglass, sometimes even Mr.G but let’s not get ahead of ourselves shall we?”, Mr. Galloglass said, patting Newt a few times on the cheek with a wry smile before he finally released him from his hold. 

Mr. Galloglass swiftly turned away from Newt, his long tweed coat swishing behind him as he began inspecting a particular row of mirrors “I believe you’ve lost something yes? Your little echidna looking thing. Such cheeky little creatures those ones are. I suppose he’s not the reason you’re late to see me though,” the old man rambled on as he continued to inspect the mirrors. 

Newt was still stood frozen on the spot as he stared at the eccentric old man, wondering what on earth he was rambling on about and how he knew who he was. He was about to ask him exactly that when Mr.Galloglass suddenly rushed over to him again. 

He yanked Newt’s left hand into his own causing Newt to grunt in surprise. Galloglass lifted it close to his face and began inspecting his palm with wide eyes. “What on ear-“

“Ah! You’re at an Empire Line young man”, he exclaimed, looking up at Newt and then back down at his palm, raising his eyebrows “no correction! You’re **on** an Empire Line that is juuuuust about to split.”

Newt felt his frustration bubbling to the surface when Mr. Galloglass only made less and less sense but then something behind the man caught his eye. He let out a breath of realisation when he spotted the crystal ball that was sat atop the small table in the adjoining room. 

“You’re a seer?” Newt cut in, looking back at the man quizzically.

“Like my father and grandfather before me,” Mr. Galloglass confirmed, thrusting Newt into the adjoining room without any warning until he stood in front of the biggest mirror in the entire shop. It was about a foot taller than Newt and it had a dark ornate frame. 

“In you go!”, Mr. Oldridge pushed Newt towards the mirror but Newt resisted, looking back at the man in the murky reflection in utter confusion and mild alarm “what?!”

“You want to know what an Empire Line is and besides, that’s where your Niffler ran off to. You know what they say- there’s no time like the present!” 

He cackled at his own joke and pushed Newt forward again with much more force this time and Newt staggered forward, trying to catch himself on the mirror instinctively and yelping when he only fell through the surface. 

And as he fell through it the mirror he suddenly recalled the words of his brother. 

**_“...You need to tell her before you have to watch her move on with someone who can never love her like you do...”_ **

Newt gasped when he stumbled to his feet and he was miraculously standing by the doorway inside of a huge cathedral. 

The first thing he noticed was the rows and rows of people packed into the stalls, his eyes then taking in the floral arrangements that sat on the end of each row.

It must be a wedding.

It was incredibly loud, he realised because the organ was blaring what must have been the processional. He fidgeted anxiously as he took in his surroundings and he only grew more confused when he spotted a rather grim looking Theseus standing in the front row of stalls by the altar of the church.

His brother's gaze seemed to be transfixed on the front of the church and Newt followed his line of sight, his eyes widening and jaw dropping when he saw HIMSELF standing at the front of the church dressed in a fancy suit.

What on earth was happening?

What did Galloglass mean by an Empire Line?

Was he seeing his future? 

His eyes quickly scanned the line of people this other version of himself was standing beside, realising he didn’t recognise a single one of the groomsmen. 

There was a complete stranger standing where the Groom would traditionally stand and Newt furrowed his brows. What was he doing at a strangers wedding?...he realised though that he did recognise a fair few of the guests sat on the same side as Theseus.

He spun around when the bridal party began to enter the cathedral and his eyes widened when he caught sight of Tina and Queenie all dressed up and walking gracefully down the carpeted aisle. 

“Tina...Queenie!” he waved at the sisters, trying desperately to catch their attention and frowning when they didn’t notice him at all. 

He recognised the next woman in the processional as Mona, your childhood friend followed by your sister and Newt began to notice the dread settling in his stomach. 

He had a niggling feeling that no one could see or hear him in this strange reality he’d been tossed into and his suspicions were proven correct just a minute later. 

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as the guests all turned to face the entrance of the cathedral in anticipation. 

He turned to face the doorway too, his ears ringing and his heart pounding when he saw you enter the church in a huge white gown. The veil you wore was completely obscuring your face but he knew it was you.

“Y/N”, he called out, reaching for you instinctively and only growing more distressed when his hand passed through your arm. You clearly couldn’t see him. No one could see or hear him and he felt tears well in his eyes as he watched you make your way down the aisle towards the unknown man.

The _other Newt_ had a small smile plastered on his face but it didn’t meet his eyes as he watched you stop in front of the groom, letting the other man take your hands. It was clear to see that he was dying inside. 

It was like his own personal hell. Everything was **wrong**.

Firstly, why were you getting married in a church? You weren’t religious and you’d always told him how you wanted to be married outdoors in a small garden ceremony.

Why were there white roses everywhere? You loved vibrant colours and despised roses.

The floral arrangements weren’t anything like you would usually choose and that dress was nothing like any dress you’d ever worn before.

You looked...out of place and he was certain it wasn’t just because it should have been him stood where the groom was. He had admittedly fantasised about what it might be like to marry you one day and this ceremony was clearly the polar opposite in every single respect. 

Nothing made sense. You weren’t visibly brimming with joy like you would normally be when you were excited. Usually your excitement was infectious but here you looked like a robot. Even Tina and Queenie looked concerned standing beside you. 

And the groom. Newt swallowed thickly as he took him in properly, his stomach churning at the smarmy and almost smug smile the man wore. 

The ceremony carried on for what felt like hours and Newt resigned himself realising there was nothing he could do to stop it. Here he was just a fly on the wall. He had to look away when the groom tipped you back, planting a firm kiss on your lips and clutching you against himself as the guests applauded and the other groomsmen cheered. 

The last thing he noticed was the look of utter defeat on the _other Newt’s_ face before his surroundings rapidly changed. 

He gasped when the room suddenly morphed around him and he was now standing inside a hospital room, seeing you looking tired and worn out in a hospital bed. You were clutching a tiny baby in your arms with the _other Newt_ by your side, watching you in concern.

He watched as you looked up at the _other Newt,_ taking his hand tiredly “thank you for being here...I don’t think I could have done this on my own”, you murmured. He watched this slightly older version of himself squeeze your hand and bend down to drop a kiss to the top of your head “I will always be here when you need me...but he really should have been here, Y/N.”

“Oh Newt, you know he’s on a business trip. It’s fine.” you said quietly, looking down at the baby in your arms as he watched the _other Newt_ clench his jaw in response. He found himself mirroring the action.

Your husband wasn’t here with you for the birth of your baby?

What kind of man had you gone and married?

You looked so tired and sad and not at all like the Y/N, he knew and loved.

Newt was broken from his musings when a nurse entered the room and he took one last look at the look of sad resignation on your face before the room suddenly shifted around him again.

This time he was thrown into a chair at a large dining table and he blinked a few times, gripping the table to steady himself. Now he was sitting across from you and the _other Newt_ watching as you poured him a cup of tea, a young toddler hugged to your side.

Some time had clearly passed because you were both a little older and he assumed the child in your arms was the same baby from just before. You were still breathtakingly beautiful but now you looked frail, the smile never quite reaching your eyes as you spoke with your friend over tea.

And he could tell from the way the _other Newt_ was staring at you, hanging off your every word that he was still just as in love with you even though you’d married and started a family with someone else.

“Y/N, where is he? From your letters...it sounds like he’s always alway.”

You laughed bitterly and looked away from the _other Newt_ , turning the wedding band on your finger shakily “He’s probably off screwing his assistant.”

Newt felt his blood run cold and he opened his mouth to talk before he realised that you couldn’t see him and the _other Newt_ looked completely affronted as he set his tea cup down with too much force, shattering the saucer on the table.

“He’s cheating on you!?”, he asked, his voice high and strained as he quickly cleared up the mess he’d made, shooing you away when you tried to help. The last thing you needed was to cut your hand open trying to help him.

You watched him fumble around for a few moments before you quickly cast a mending charm on the broken porcelain, sitting back in your chair and shrugging. “Has been for years. Dozens of different women and he thinks I’m too stupid to know. I’ll never be enough for him.” you murmured, blinking back the tears in your eyes as you pressed a kiss to the top of your daughters head.

The _other Newt_ took your hands in his own, looking at you in concern “Y/N you are more than enough. You deserve the world. You deserve someone loyal who will care for you and be there to support you no matter what”, he said passionately, pausing a moment before he murmured.

“Why do you stay with him?” 

“Because I want what’s best for her,” you said without hesitation, nodding down at your daughter in your arms as you sniffled slightly “and I’m not getting any younger, Newt. At least he wants me.”

He watched as the _other Newt_ opened his mouth to speak again but you continued talking and what you said next sent both Newt’s into shocked silence. 

“You know I was in love with you for the longest time?”, you laughed self deprecatingly as you pulled your hands out of his “I dreamt about being Mrs. Scamander. I always thought you would make the most incredible husband and father.”

“Y/N”, the _other Newt_ breathed, his eyes big and his lips parted but you shook your head before he could say anything more.

“Oh, how things change,” you murmured, wiping your eyes while you held your daughter tight against you in your other arm.

* * *

The ringing returned in Newt’s ears as he was abruptly thrust out of the mirror and left sitting on the floor of the shop again. He stared down at his knees in shock as he felt Mr.Galloglass’ hands gripping his shoulders.

“You alright there, son?”, the man asked gruffly as he shook him slightly by the shoulders and Newt jumped to his feet quickly facing the man “I-yes I have to go! I must find the Niffler and leave immediately”, he said, searching around frantically.

He had to go to you.

But Mr. Galloglass grabbed his arm firmly, gesturing back at the mirror that was starting to ripple again “your creature is still in there. I sense the mirror’s not done with you yet my boy.” He murmured, his eyes glazing over with that faraway look again.

“You have more to see before you leave this place.”

The older man pushed Newt firmly towards the mirror again and Newt sucked in a deep breath, closing his eyes tightly as he stepped back through the mirror frame, praying he wasn’t faced with something as horrible again.

* * *

This time as he stepped through the frame Tina’s words popped into his mind.

“ ** _You should make the most of all the precious time you have together. Our time is never promised.”_**

The words seemed rather ominous considering what he’d just seen in his previous venture but as his surroundings became clear he felt a false sense of relief just from the familiarity of it. 

This time he found himself standing in his flat in London, facing another Newt again who was sitting at the small dining room table, talking with Pickett.

He seemed to be the same age here but the first thing Newt noticed about the apartment was that all of your belongings were gone. Every single one of your plants that were usually adorning every surface of the flat were gone and it made his chest hurt to think about it.

Did you end up going to South America? Was this his closest reality then?

He watched this other version of himself curiously, noticing how happy he looked as he leant on the table talking to the Bowtruckle who seemed to be just as excited “yes Pickett, she’ll be here tomorrow and we’ll go and meet her at the docks and...and bring her home,” the _other Newt_ murmured, smiling back at Pickett who danced around excitedly.

“Maybe it’s about time I ask her to stay,” he whispered, resting his chin in his palm with a small smile.

Newt looked up from the pair when he heard knocking at the front door, moving towards it on instinct and pausing when he remembered that he was just an onlooker here. 

The _other Newt_ got to his feet slowly, his eyebrows drawn together, shaking his head in response to Pickett’s chirping “no she’s not supposed to be here yet...but yes I suppose she could surprise us”.

The idea of you surprising him with an early arrival had him quickly walking to the door with a bright smile. He yanked the door open half expecting it to be you.

“Theseus?”, he frowned, the smile dropping from his face completely when he saw the tears shining in his brother’s eyes and he stepped back when Theseus pushed him into the apartment.

Newt watched the scene before him, the sense of dread settling in his stomach once again. He’d never seen his brother cry before.

“T-Theseus what’s wrong?”, the _other Newt_ stuttered, moving to the kitchen to fetch him a cup of tea and freezing when Theseus grabbed his wrist, shaking his head “Newt, sit down.”

“No tell me what’s wrong”, he said, gripping Theseus by the shoulders, watching as his brother blinked hard a few times, furiously rubbing at his eyes a moment later. 

“Theseus talk to me.” 

Silence. 

And then. 

“The ship Y/N was on went down last night. Rogue wave.”

Theseus was gutted himself because he loved you like a little sister after the years you’d spent gradually slotting yourself into the Scamander’s lives. But he was truly hurting for his little brother, knowing how this news would break him.

Newt slapped his hand to his mouth, shaking his head furiously as he paced around the apartment trying to see the portal out of this reality and back through the mirror as the _other Newt_ gaped at his older brother, his face gone pale.

“No no no she...she had her wand. She would have found a way out!”

“Newt I’m sorry she didn’t m-‘

“No! She can swim and she’s smart- s—s-she can swim better than me” _the other Newt_ stuttered, his voice cracking as he gripped the back of the chair for support, feeling his legs would give out any moment.

“She didn’t make it, Newt.” Theseus said firmly, wrapping his arms around his younger brother tightly and gripping the back of his head as the first sobs broke through the apartment.

Newt was starting to cry himself, finding it harder and harder to breathe as he listened to the guttural sobs coming from his other self. It felt like the room was closing in on him and his chest was starting to physically ache. He covered his ears and chanted.

“It’s not real. It’s not real. It’s not real,” he kept chanting like a mantra, reminding himself over and over that this was just another reality and that his Y/N was safe and sound at home. In your shared apartment. 

He barely noticed the room had morphed around him again until it was quiet and he was standing in his now dark apartment, facing a very disheveled and clearly drunk Newt. There was rubbish littered everywhere and Newt noticed the discarded newspaper with a photo of you and himself on the front page. He skimmed the article, wiping his tears away.

**MAGIZOOLOGIST SCAMANDER’s ASSISTANT TRAGICALLY DROWNS IN SHIPWRECK**

So, you’d drowned after you’d dropped your wand trying to help a young muggle child onto a life raft. Newt felt his stomach twist at that because it was something you would do.

Why didn’t anyone save you?

He sat down at the table across from the _other Newt_ , burying his face in his hands as he pleaded for the mirror to let him out of this hell scape.

He jumped a bit when Tina and Queenie suddenly appeared in front of him, both of them looking somber as they moved towards the _other Newt._

Queenie gripped him by the shoulders gently while Tina pried the bottle of fire-whiskey from his hands

“Newt, honey you’ve got to stop this.”

Queenie practically pleaded, stroking his hair back. She had her own tears threatening to spill because she could hear all the pain and guilt he was feeling. 

“It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have stopped it”, she whispered, jumping a bit when he slammed his hand down on the table in response.

“I COULD HAVE STOPPED IT!”, he shouted, his voice hoarse while Newt continued to sit there with his head pressed in his hands, vowing to never let you set foot on a ship without him.

“Newt, nothing can change it now! You need to accept it and move on”, Tina said firmly, pushing her sister aside as she stood in front of him, pulling him to his feet.

“Y/N is gone and she’s never coming back. You need to pull yourself together because you still have a whole case of creatures to care for. Theseus can’t keep taking care of them for you. That man is at his wits end. And Y/N wouldn’t want you moping around like this!”

Newt only looked up when Tina’s ranting finally stopped and he was met with silence. He was now completely alone sitting in front of your tombstone. 

It was as if something inside him broke then and he found himself scrambling to his feet and shaking his head frantically when he noticed a bunch of your favourite flowers propped against the stone. 

“No no no no no let me out I’ve had enough! Niffler!” He shouted, desperately looking for any way out of the mirror as he grew more and more hysterical.

* * *

He let out a gasp, hunched over and gripping his knees when he was thrust back into the shop. “You!” He shouted, grabbing Mr. Galloglass by his collar.

“Why did you keep me in there so long?!” he practically growled, tears still flowing from his eyes. He felt completely wrecked as he held the man's collar tightly in his grip, trying to get a grasp on his true reality as he stared at the man “tell me where my Niffler is!” he demanded, his eyes wild.

Mr. Galloglass sighed and pulled Newt’s hands away from his collar, smiling apologetically at the young man.

“I don’t have any say in this. Only the mirror can decide what you see and when it’s finished. You obviously have more to learn.”

“NO I do NOT have more to learn!”, Newt snapped, grabbing his case “I’ve seen plenty and I need to go home right now!”

He spotted a familiar flurry of dark fur scurrying by and he set his case down, reaching towards the creature. 

“No YOU get back here!” he said , lunging forward when he saw the Niffler, chasing after him once again through the mirror before he could stop himself.

* * *

This time there were no words or phrases echoing in his mind. He was greeted with only silence as he fell on his ass once again into his apartment and he saw you in the kitchen. 

You were clearly pregnant and he shook his head as he stood up quickly. He felt the bile rise in his throat as he faced the wall that he had just come through.

“NO LET ME OUT! I am DONE I have seen enough! I have learnt my lesson just let me out!” He shouted, pounding his fists against the wall and letting out a cry of frustration when nothing happened. He begrudgingly turned to face you when you called his name.

This time you looked happy and healthy and Newt wondered if you’d married the same scumbag from the earlier reality. But his heart stopped in his chest when he saw yet another version of himself take you into his arms and press a loving kiss to your lips.

He watched on in utter shock as you kissed this _other Newt_ back with the brightest smile on your lips as you wrapped your arms around him. 

And Newt wondered if it was possible to be jealous of himself?

He stared at you completely astounded, feeling a warmth blossoming in his chest at the way you were gazing at the _other Newt_. And the way you had wrapped your body around his, clinging to him like he was your very own life raft. 

The room morphed around him much faster than he had hoped and he found himself standing behind the two of you in a baby’s nursery. He watched the two of you kiss the baby in your arms before you set him down in his crib, still holding each other close.

Newt blinked when the room shifted suddenly again and this time he was standing on platform 9 3/4 staring at you standing tucked into the _other Newt’s_ side as you waved your two children off onto the Hogwarts Express. 

Newt only felt his chest swell more as he watched the _other Newt_ press a kiss to your temple, his hand coming to rest on your stomach that was round with another baby on the way.

He huffed and closed his eyes when the room started to morph again, this time at super speed showing him flashes of this alternate reality. He couldn’t breathe again but it was for all the right reasons as he watched literally all of his dreams and more unfold before him.

He felt a few tears slip from his eyes when he was left standing still once more.

This time you had both grown old and you were sitting together hand in hand in Newt’s case, watching small children which he assumed to be your grandchildren, running around. 

He watched as you tipped your face upwards to press a kiss to the _other Newt’s_ lips and he could just make out you murmuring the words ‘I love you’ before his attention was taken by the Niffler that was bolting towards him.

He quickly crouched down and held his hands out for the creature “come here you!”

* * *

Newt let out a sigh when he was back in the mirror shop, facing Mr. Galloglass once again with the Niffler clutched in his hands. He made quick work of setting the creature back into his case and making sure it was latched properly this time before he turned back to face the mirror. He lay his hand against the cool glass as he took in everything he’d just seen. 

He couldn’t even begin to decipher what he was feeling right now because he was simultaneously traumatised by the reality in which you drowned and elated by the prospect of calling you his wife and spending his life with you.

Then he rubbed a hand down his face when he remembered Mr. Galloglass and turned to face the man, hoping to apologise to him for shouting at him but the man just waved his hand dismissively before Newt could talk. 

“Don’t worry about it, son. You just go and do what you need to do,” the old man murmured, clapping him on the shoulder firmly before guiding him back out of the shop and Newt turned around to nod at him one last time before he took off down the street with his case in hand.

Finally, all of his fears and all of the worst-case scenarios he’d conjured up in his mind faded into white noise and all that mattered now was telling you of his devotion. 

It was settled. He was going to tell you the truth once and for all and nothing was going to stop him.   
  
He never even found out what Mr.Galloglass meant by Empire Line. 

* * *

**More works/Send me requests at 12tardis.tumblr.com**


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